Nick's tone towards Tom reveals how deeply he dislikes his old college friend. Nick really doesn't like Tom. Nick, for example, opens with a description of Tom that contains one the classic disses in American literature; locating Tom's top moment of glory in his days as a college football player, Nick says he was:
one of those men who reach such an acute limited excellence at twenty-one that everything afterwards savors of anti-climax.
It's not...
Nick's tone towards Tom reveals how deeply he dislikes his old college friend. Nick really doesn't like Tom. Nick, for example, opens with a description of Tom that contains one the classic disses in American literature; locating Tom's top moment of glory in his days as a college football player, Nick says he was:
one of those men who reach such an acute limited excellence at twenty-one that everything afterwards savors of anti-climax.
It's not great--at all--to have someone conclude that you hit your high point in life at 21. Nick follows this by noting Tom's "hard mouth," his "arrogant eyes" and the "effeminate swank" of his riding clothes. These are not compliments.
He then offers a recounting of Tom's racism. Tom declares that the "Nordic" races are in danger of being overrun. And Nick offers that
Something was making him [Tom] nibble at the edges of stale ideas.
Not only is Tom chasing after stale racist ideas, he can't even comprehend them fully, according to Nick, but can only nibble the edges.
Overall, Nick seldom misses a chance to get in a dig at Tom. Follow the emotional ups and downs of the novel, and it's easy to note that when Tom is around, misery follows. Contrast social events centered on Tom, such as the small party at Myrtle's apartment where Tom hits Myrtle in the nose, with Gatsby's parties: where do you, as a reader, end up having more fun? We know Nick, in any case, is a lot happier at Gatsby's house.
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